Harley-Davidson Topper: exploring the scooter market

In the 1950s, Harley-Davidson broadened its horizons and entered the scooter world with the brand Topper. This attempt to diversify further was characterised by the Topper-scooter, which had a two-stroke 165cc engine and as with the DKW Hobby was started with a pull cable and had a variomatic torque converter. The power source was in fact derived from the German DKW RT 125, a motorbike that came into Harley's hands as spoils of war. This engine was then used in the Harley-Davidson Hummer, a light motorbike that was promoted in the US.

The Topper scooter was intended as affordable, practical transport and had its appeal to a wide audience, especially in post-war times, when people were looking for simple and reliable transport solutions. Although the Topper never achieved the huge success that Harley-Davidson might have hoped for, today it is a historic piece of scooter heritage and an important example of the diversification of an iconic brand that had its roots deep in the motorbike world.